Altona Marsh “Con- Tains the State’S Only “Calcareous Fen” (A Limestone Plant Community HELP WANTED: Board of Directors of on a Layer of Peat)

Potomac Valley Valley Views Audubon Society

Volume 31, Issue 6 March 2013

Comets! time as well, making it harder to see in the glare of the rising sun. On November 22, it will be to the right of the planet Mercury just above the eastern horizon around 6:10AM. At the end of November and the start of December it will be very close to the sun and at it’s brightest. Remember: DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN WITH YOUR NAKED EYES! To see the comet at this time you will have to use welding goggles or special filters to protect your eyes from the sun. This comet will then move away from the sun and back into the morning sky during December still very bright and easily seen. By Christmas it will be high in the morning sky, best visible with binoculars, as it fades away into deep space. An exciting year of comets is ahead. Be sure to watch the PVAS events calendar for gatherings to view these comets. Comet Hyakutake March 26, 1996 For solar filters for your telescope or binoculars see this link: ©Wil Hershberger http://www.telescope.com/catalog/search.cmd?form_s Seeing bright comets is usually a once in a lifetime event. Many of tate=searchForm&keyword=solar+filters. us have been blessed with seeing several very bright and impressive comets. In 1996 comet Hyakutake was visible from March through June. Hyakutake was proclaimed “one of the grandest comets of the March Program: Spring Wildflowers millennium.” At its peak, the comet’s tail stretched nearly halfway across the sky. In 1997, comet Hale-Bopp surprised everyone with Our March program at the National it amazing display and spilt-tail appearance. Hale-Bopp was vis- Conservation Training Center will ible from July 1996 through October 1997 becoming an evening feature a presentation about spring spectacle in April of 1997. wildflowers. The program will be held at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 13 in Well, keep your eye on the sky this year! There is the potential for Room 151 of the Instructional West two bright comets in 2013. The first should be visible as you read Building. Admission is free and every- this. Comet C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) will be visible in the evening one is welcome to attend. Toothwart sky at sunset. Look west just above the setting sun starting March 6. On March 12 the comet will be just to the right and above the The presenter will be local naturalist Kathy Bilton, a former very thin crescent of the moon. The comet will be fading as it rises teacher and longtime PVAS member and volunteer well known higher in the evening sky becoming visible in the darker night sky for her botanical knowledge. Kathy is especially known for her rather than the glare of the sunset. In early April the comet will be decades of experience with local plants. She is currently serves as close to the Andromeda galaxy. By late April it will be difficult to the Secretary of the Botanical Society of Washington. Since 1990, see, even with binoculars. she has been a member of the Maryland-based Worthley Botany Class, an informal botany group founded by the noted biologist The real spectacle may be comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) that will Elmer Worthley. be visible starting in November of 2013. Early in the morning, just before sunrise look for this comet in the east in the constella- Her presentation will focus on the local spring wildflowers. She tion of Virgo. It will brighten rapidly to become brighter than the will also offer some general observations about the flora of North moon in late November. It will be getting closer to the sun at this America, discussing the derivation of plant names and medicinal uses of plants. Potomac Valley Audubon Society is people dedicated to preserving, restoring, and enjoying the natural world through education and action. Valley ViewS Volume 31, Issue 6

significant of these marshes. Reflections on PVAS By Bob Reynolds, PVAS President Also according to The Nature Conservancy, Altona Marsh “con- tains the state’s only “calcareous fen” (a limestone plant community HELP WANTED: Board of Directors of on a layer of peat). Special soils influence the occurrence of unique PVAS seeks new Board members – apply and rare species, and these wetlands together are home to the larg- within. est collection of rare plants (30) in the state. In addition, they are significant as wildlife habitat, supporting breeding and migrating During our annual meeting in June the birds such as sandhill cranes, Virginia rails, King rails, least bitterns PVAS membership will be asked to elect and wood ducks. four members and a Secretary to our Board of Directors, and now is the time to volunteer PVAS recently became aware of a proposal to rezone a property to serve on our Board. near the marsh, owned by Jefferson Asphalt Products, Inc., from rural to residential, light industrial and commercial. Alarmed at the PVAS has four primary product lines – conservation advocacy, implications of this change and the potential impact it could have land preservation, adult services, and youth services. Direction and on the marsh, the PVAS Board of Directors submitted a letter to the oversight of our business is the responsibility of our thirteen member Jefferson County Commission to alert them to the unusual habitat Board of Directors. In addition we maintain administrative and fiscal that is home to rare species and the importance of the marsh to mi- systems and employ staff to support our program services. While gratory birds and other wildlife. Also raised was the significance we ask each Board member to identify a specific area of focus, we of the marsh’s unusual natural history to the state and region, and are still spread thin. encouraging the Commission to be good stewards and take care of We also ask Board members to feel the pulse of our membership, the rare marsh’s watershed. and to advocate for the expansion or development of services our PVAS was one of several groups to voice concern over the rezon- members value. This year, for instance, membership interests per- ing proposal. The Nature Conservancy, The Conservation Fund, and suaded the Board to begin planning for a new Backyard Naturalist the WV Division of Natural Resources also wrote letters or testified Program as well as a Grassland Birds initiative. on the marsh’s behalf. Our Board meets five times a year – every other month during the The request to rezone the property was approved. We hope that academic year. Our meetings are focused and efficient – background the next owners will be good stewards of the land and that they take papers are written for agenda items and distributed in advance of into consideration the impact of their development may have on the every meeting. We will not waste your time. marsh and its residents. If you have a passion for one of our service areas, or expertise in We were, admittedly, caught off guard with this proposal to re- administrative systems, I hope you will let us know of your willing- zone the property near the marsh. PVAS has not been very engaged ness to serve on our Board of Directors. Our nominations process in issues like this one in recent years. PVAS has been working seeks to provide overall balance to our Board. For instance, at this on a plan to better address such issues of environmental concern moment we are especially in need of a Board member interested in locally, regionally, and nationally. PVAS Board member Heather the area of youth services. McSharry has been working on a draft proposal to the Board to adopt If you will alert us to your interest in serving, I can at least guar- a strategy to help guide PVAS in considering actions in response antee a conversation and a free cup of coffee! to environmental issues and concerns. This issue of the marsh hit close to home, and we submitted the letter in spite of the policy being incomplete. The draft policy has now been presented to the Altona Marsh – A Case Study Conservation and Action Committee and stakeholders and will be By Kristin Alexander, Executive Director presented to the Board for consideration in the near future. It is our hope that this new policy will help guide PVAS decisions for action Altona Marsh is a rare and special (or inaction) and to help us keep a better eye on conservation issues place for plants and wildlife in Jefferson in the community in the future. County. PVAS has been using the marsh, under conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy, for many years for “Race for the Birds” Is April 20 field trips and courses. This year’s race will be held April 20th on the campus of the Na- Altona Marsh is special because it’s tional Conservation Training Center (NCTC) near Shepherdstown. one of the few marl marshes left in the state. Marl marshes are Registration is available at www.RaceForTheBirds.org. formed from groundwater springs that pass through limestone, As in the past, the Race for the Birds will include two profes- resulting in a soil of wetland soils with high concentrations of sionally timed races—one 4.9 miles long and another 7.7 miles calcium carbonate. According to The Nature Conservancy, only long. There will also be a self-timed 2-mile community jog/walk ten such wetlands remain in West Virginia and most are located in for families and individuals who prefer a slower pace, and a 1-mile Jefferson County. Altona-Piedmont Marsh is the largest and most “Fun Run” for children under 10 years of age.

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The 4.9- and 7.7-mile races will fol- bird habitat, and the PVAS Conservation Services Committee is low trails that wind through the forests pleased to announce that some of those beans will soon be avail- and fields of the 538-acre NCTC cam- able in the PVAS area! Shepherdstown’s Hypnocoffee has ordered pus. The 2-mile jog/walk will follow a 2000 pounds of Smithsonian Bird-Friendly Certified coffee from course that will be very user-friendly for Las Esmeraldas farm in El Salvador and the roasted beans should families with small children, and trail- be ready for sale in early March. Please consider purchasing some friendly baby joggers will be appropriate of this great coffee and encouraging this local business to keep and encouraged. The two races will be- looking for certified sources. gin at 9:00 a.m. The jog/walk will begin 2012 Race - courtesy of You can read more about Bird-Friendly certified coffee athttp:// shortly afterwards and the children’s Fun Potomac Highlands Dis- nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/coffee/default. Run will be held at about 10:45 a.m. The tance Club cfm. children’s Fun Run will be free. Fees for the other portions of the event will range from $15 to $25 and will include a race t-shirt while supplies last. All proceeds support PVAS programs. Potomac Valley Master Naturalists The trails on the NCTC campus are not normally open The Potomac Valley Master Naturalists will begin their seventh to the general public so this class in March at Cacapon State Park. This year’s class has 14 will be a good opportunity to students who will spend one Saturday a month from March through visit and enjoy the facility’s October learning about West Virginia’s natural history and sharing beautiful trail network. their new knowledge through volunteer projects. Members of the 2013 class include persons from Berkeley, Morgan, and Jefferson 2012 Fun Run For more information, go to counties as well as Frederick County Maryland. the race website at www.Race- ForTheBirds.org. Or contact the race directors, James and Suzy Natural History Workshops, sponsored by PVMN, help current Munnis, at [email protected] or 304-876-6784. Master Naturalists maintain their currency, but all workshops are open to the public. In February, Project Wild Aquatic training was offered at NCTC with 22 attending. Many of these were public Race Volunteers Needed! school teachers from the local area who learned techniques for in- corporating aquatic based environmental education into their lesson If you are interested in helping with the Race for the Birds event plans. The training was led by Debbie Crouse and Ellen Murphy by being a race marshal, registering runners, handing out t-shirts, of PVAS and Katie Willard of WVDEP. organizing food and drinks for runners, cleaning up after the race, or a variety of other tasks, we’d love your help on race day and Two more Natural History Workshops are scheduled in April: leading up to the race. The race is April 20, and most volunteer Exploring Vernal Pools on April 20 and History and Ecology of the responsibilities begin around 7am and are done at noon. We’d love Chesapeake Bay on the Schooner Sultana on April 27. Registration to have your help! Volunteers receive a t-shirt and food. is open now for both of these workshops at www.PotomacAudu- bon.org. Contact Kristin Alexander at [email protected] or 304-676-3397 if you are interested in helping. (You may also sign up at our website at http://raceforthebirds.org/volunteer. html. Please ignore last year’s dates on that page. We’re working Nature Writing Group on fixing that glitch. Your information will be captured accurately.) Thank you! Potomac Valley Nature Writing Group formed in 2009 to promote the art and appreciation of nature writing. We meet September Bird-Friendly Coffee through May to discuss a monthly book selec- tion. Members can also participate by contrib- Do you love both birds and coffee? In an uting reviews, comments or sharing their own earlier newsletter, we provided information writing online at the PVNWG blogspot. Our 2013 Spring lineup about how management practices on coffee includes Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire—February; Gretel Erlich, plantations can greatly affect the habitat value The Solace of Open Spaces—March; David Carroll, Swampwalker’s they provide for both migratory and resident Journal—April; and Tom Brown, Nature Observation and Track- bird species, affecting population health in all ing--May. For more details, email [email protected] or parts of their ranges. The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center’s visit http://potomacvalleynaturewritinggroup.blogspot.com/. Bird-Friendly Coffee certification and labeling program provides a convenient way to find beans from plantations that provide good

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The Backyard Naturalist Grassland birds are in trouble. Many species are declining so rap- By Sandy Sagalkin idly that only 20% of their 1966 populations remain today. Eastern Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, Bobolink, Do you or your family like watching birds in your backyard? If Horned Lark, Vesper Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite Quail, and others so, you are among the 70 million other Americans who watch birds, are among these beleaguered species. mostly in their backyards. Bird watching is one of the fastest grow- Why have these species declined so rapidly in the last 50 years? ing recreational activities in the country and a major contributor to Habitat loss and changes in land management are the main factors. the economy. Would you like to improve your skills in identifying The loss of breeding habitat has had a tremendous impact. Once open birds and their songs in your backyard and in learning how to attract pastures and hay fields are now converting to woodlands, housing them by buying the right kinds of food and feeders? Would you like developments, shopping centers, and roads. Land management has help in choosing the right pair of binoculars and learning how to also changed. As recently as 30 years ago, farmers would harvest the use them? How would you like to use your backyard as a science first cutting of hay in mid-July. This allowed grassland-nesting birds laboratory where you or your family can learn about common but- the opportunity to have one successful nest per season. Now, hay is terflies, moths, caterpillars, other insects, frogs, toads, salamanders, harvested in mid-June, late-July, and again in August or September. and conservation in general? Or learn what native plants to put into There is no chance for these birds to produce young within these your backyard to attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. short periods of time. Fencerows are now kept completely free of PVAS is launching a major new endeavor called the Backyard vegetation and fields are planted right up to the fence. When narrow Naturalist Program. The program will be aimed at adults and fami- strips of grass are left at the edge of a field or longa a fence, predators lies, seniors and children, educators, and anyone else interested in have an easy time looking for prey. They can easily hunt these areas learning more about nature. The PVAS website will be your own by zigzagging back and forth across the narrow lane. They have a personal portal to slide and video programs dealing with different harder time finding prey in larger, squarer plots of land. aspects of your backyard ecosystem. Our PVAS volunteers will also For all of these reasons and more, PVAS’ Conservation Commit- present these programs at libraries, PVAS monthly meetings, senior tee is launching a Grassland Birds Initiative (GBI). The program centers, nursing homes, garden clubs, and other venues, using the hopes to protect grassland-nesting birds by encouraging landown- slide or video programs as starting points, but supplementing them ers to change their land use practices. Small areas at the ends of with additional information and hands-on-materials, activities and fields to larger tracts or entire fields, which are not being used for demonstrations. We are also considering the possibility of certi- production, are all important to the program. Changes in land use fying program participants as “Potomac Valley Audubon Society practices include: Backyard Naturalists.” • Mowing high and waiting to mow later in the season, after The Backyard Naturalist Program will also have slide programs October 20th but before March 20th. on how to become citizen scientists. There are several citizen sci- • Not mowing at all for 4-5 years and then mowing within the ence programs that provide important information to scientists that dates as above. would otherwise be unavailable, such as the Great Backyard Bird - Count, Project FeederWatch, and the Christmas Bird Counts. By • Refrain from mowing until July 15 to allow first nests to be suc cessful and then mowing as high as the mower will allow. your participation, you will be able to help scientists understand what is happening to bird populations because of habitat loss or Mowing high allows the grass clumping structure to remain degradation, climate change and other reasons. If you love Mon- intact. This clumping provides bare soil between the plants where arch Butterflies and are concerned about their incredible migration, these birds build their nests and it creates lanes within which they we will teach you how to participate in Monarch Watch and help run around looking for food and to flee from predators. scientists understand the environmental factors important to their Landowners that are truly dedicated to this cause can collaborate survival. with the GBI and the Partners for Wildlife program of the National There are more parts to the program. The Backyard Naturalist Resource Conservation Service by converting some acreage to Program will be phased in as time and resources allow. We will warm-season grasses which are not only native but are better for keep you posted as the program develops so you can participate these birds and other wildlife that require grassland habitats for and help us spread the word! survival. These species of grass grow later in the season and provide a bounty of nutrients for wildlife and domestic animals. Grassland Birds Initiative We are also working with the Land Trust of the Eastern Panhandle (LTEP) to encourage some landowners to protect their land through Do you remember hearing the songs a conservation easement. Landowners that already have a LTEP of Eastern Meadowlarks drifting over the conservation easement can also take advantage of this program. fields and farmlands of your youth? When The GBI will work with these landowners to help them manage was the last time that you saw or heard a their land for grassland birds while the LTEP helps them setup the Northern Bobwhite? How often have you easement. seen American Crows picking over a re- With all of the different levels that landowners can participate cently mowed field in late June? in the GBI, we hope that people will be excited to sign-up and set 4 Valley ViewS Volume 31, Issue 6 aside acreage for these imperiled birds. Landowners have the option control, please read the full article in Audubon magazine’s Jan-Feb to earn certificates and have signs posted on their property to show 2013 issue, available online here: that they are managing their land for grassland birds. http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/con- If you would like to get involved as a landowner or a volunteer servation/poisons-used-kill-rodents-have-safer- with the GBI subcommittee, please see our website at http:// alternatives?page=show Potomacaudubon.org/GBI or email us at Grasslandbirdsini- [email protected]. Annual Appeal Update Rodent Poisons Kill We are pleased to announce that the annual appeal contributions continue to come in. As of this writing, we’re up to 138 generous Birds donors having contributed $31,534.24 with an impressive average By Nancy Kirschbaum donation of $228.51. I have enjoyed observing Barred Owls hoot- This is very gratifying. Last year the appeal closed at $34,182, ing and floating from tree to tree in our wooded neighborhood near so we’re well on our way but we have a little ways to go. the Potomac River. Last fall, when I learned that two of them were found dead in the community−within days of each other−I suspected By closing the gap (and perhaps surpassing it?) we will know how that they had eaten poisoned rodents. to plan next year’s programs and activities. This year, as you’ve heard, we’re planning to launch the new Backyard Naturalist Pro- This winter, family members in Gloucester, Massachusetts sent gram and a Grassland Birds Initiative. We don’t have grant monies beautiful photos of a Snowy Owl seen there. The next day the bird in hand, yet, to launch these programs. Your contributions will help was found dead. us continue our existing programs while building the foundation for These birds are probably victims of “second-generation antico- these new initiatives while we seek additional funding to fuel their agulant rodenticides” found in such brand names as d-Con, Hot development and growth. Shot, Generation, Talon, and Havoc. These poisons were developed The annual appeal is our most important source of income that because in some places, rats appeared to be developing tolerance to can be used for day- to-day operations. These daily operations al- warfarin, a first-generation rodenticide. low us to reach the thousands of children and adults each year. We For a rodent to get a lethal dose from a first-generation rodenticide can’t thank you enough for your contributions (past and future) to it has to eat it more than once, but that’s not a problem. Leave first- enable staff and volunteers to do what they do so well. generation baits out for a week and they’re just as efficient as the So please help if you can! The formal deadline for the Annual second generation. What makes second-generation rodenticides so Appeal is March 30th. No amount is to large or to small. We value non-selective is that they kill slowly, so rodents keep eating them each and every dollar, and promise to use it wisely in furthering our long after they’ve ingested a lethal dose. By the time they expire, programs and mission. Thank you! or are about to, they contain many times the lethal dose and are therefore deadly to predators, scavengers, and pets. After a rodent eats this poison, it stumbles around for several Identifing Trees in Winter days, making it attractive prey for owls, hawks, foxes, and other PVAS will offer two of its predators. In New York, rodenticides were found in 49 percent of always-popular winter tree-iden- necropsied raptors, and in San Diego, California, 92 percent. Similar tification field trips this March. contamination is seen around the world. The poisons are also being Both trips will be led by West found in bird species that do not eat rodents. It may be that insects Virginia state foresters and last pick it up and pass it along to songbirds. about two hours. They will show In 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency declared that how to identify trees through such second generation rodenticides posed an unreasonable risk to clues as their branching habits and children, pets, and wildlife, and gave manufacturers three years to overall shape, twigs and buds, Beech tree in winter stop selling them directly to residential consumers. Three of the and bark. 29 manufacturing companies have refused to comply with the new The first trip will be held along the C&O Canal across from regulation, and appealed the decision. These poisons are still being Shepherdstown the morning of Saturday, March 16 and will be led sold in stores such as Home Depot and Lowes. by state forester Herb Peddicord. Participants will meet at 10:00 a.m. The safest, and most humane, option for rodent control is still in the parking lot of Ferry Hill Place, the old brick mansion on the the snap trap. Please don’t buy baits containing second-generation Maryland side of the Potomac River that used to be the C&O Canal rodenticides. If we kill off the predators in our environment, dis- Park headquarters. The entrance is on MD Route 34 just east of the turbing the balance of nature, the rodent population will increase Rumsey Bridge across the Potomac. In the event of bad weather, dramatically with no natural controls. this trip will be rescheduled to March 23. To learn more, and for other options for safe and humane rodent ... continued on page 6 5 Valley ViewS Volume 31, Issue 6

... continued from page 5 these events will be free and everyone is welcome. The second trip will be held at Cacapon State Park west of For the sixth year in a row, the festival will also include a special Berkeley Springs on Saturday, March 23. Participants will meet at Poetry Walk component—poems that focus on spring themes will be 10:00 a.m. at the Park’s Nature Center. State forester Ben Kunze posted all along the preserve’s Kingfisher trail where the majority will lead this trip. If bad weather forces cancellation of this trip, it of wildflowers are found. Early to mid April is traditionally the best will be rescheduled to March 30. time to view early spring wildflowers at the preserve. Some of the wildflowers on display should include bloodroot, spring beauties, There is no fee for either trip, and anyone with an interest is Dutchman’s breeches, and rue anemone. invited to attend. However, space will be limited for both trips and pre-registration is essential. To pre-register or get more information The trails at Yankauer are go to the PVAS website at www.potomacaudubon.org or contact primitive, so wear sturdy walking Kelly Wolf at [email protected] or 304-229-6229. shoes. Please leave pets at home and leave the wildflowers for all Those who participate should be sure to dress appropriately for to enjoy. the prevailing weather and wear sturdy footwear. For more information contact PVAS at 304-676-3397 or kris- Space Available for Birding 101 [email protected]. As this is being written, there’s still space available in this year’s “Bird- ing 101” course for beginning birders, Poems Sought for Wildflower Festival which will be held during April. PVAS is once again asking local poets to submit poems that will This will be the 28th year we’ve of- be displayed as part of our annual Wildflower Festival (see separate fered this course. It’s taught by leading story on Festival). Those who wish to submit poems are encour- local bird experts, including Bob Dean, aged to do so by sending them via email to Shepherdstown’s Four Matt Orsie, and Wil Hershberger. It Seasons Bookstore at [email protected]. Poems may also be utilizes both evening classroom sessions and daytime field trips. dropped off at the store on German Street in person. Poems can Participants learn everything from bird identification to birding also be sent by regular mail to Poetry Walk, c/o PVAS, PO Box 578, techniques and resources to field etiquette. It focuses on bird spe- Shepherdstown, WV 25443. cies that are found in the Eastern Panhandle area. The deadline for submissions is 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 29. The evening classroom sessions will start on Thursday, April 4 For more information contact PVAS at 304-676-3397 or kristin@ and be held each of the following three Thursdays (April 11, 18, potomacaudubon.org. and 25). All of these sessions will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center just north of Shepherdstown. Three Birding Trips Set for March The field trips will be held at various locations around the Pan- handle from roughly 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon on the Saturdays following PVAS has scheduled three Jefferson County birding trips for the Thursday evening sessions (April 6, 13, and 20 and 27). March. All the trips are free and anyone with an interest is welcome to come along, regardless of their birding skills. Full details can be Tuition for the full course package of four classroom sessions and found on the PVAS website at www.potomacaudubon.org. The four field trips is $75. Registration is required. Online registration specific dates and basic details are as follows: and more information are available on the PVAS website at www. potomacaudubon.org. Or contact Ellen Murphy at 304-676-8739 or [email protected]. March 6: Bird walk in the South Schoolhouse Ridge Battle- field section of the Harpers Ferry National Park. Will last two to three hours and involve about 3 miles of walking through woods Wildflower Festival Set for April 6 and fields, with some hilly terrain. Likely species include winter PVAS will hold its annual spring Wildflower Festival on Satur- visitors and year-round birds like woodpeckers and raptors. Meet day, April 6 at the Yankauer Nature Preserve. The festival, which is at 8:00 a.m. the South Schoolhouse Ridge parking area. From held to coincide with the peak of the spring wildflower season, will Route 340 west of Harpers Ferry, turn south onto Millville Road be held from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., rain or shine. It will include (County Route 27) at the outdoor flea market; proceed 2 miles to guided wildflower walks through the preserve for advanced and parking area. If the gate is closed, pull off and park along the road. beginner/families, children’s activities and refreshments. Guided No pre-registration required. For more info, contact Deb Hale at [email protected] or 304-535-2346 walks will leave the pavilion on the hour, though visitors are wel- . come to explore the trails on their own as well. Admission to all

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March 9: Bird walk in the Shannondale Springs Wildlife Camp Scholarship Opportunites! Management Area, on the east bank of the Shenandoah River in Jefferson County. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the WMA parking area by If you know a young person, or if you ARE that young person the boat launch site. Likely species will include waterfowl, winter who would enjoy learning about the natural world at summer camp, visitors and year-round birds. No pre-registration required. For we encourage you to apply for a camp scholarship from PVAS. or more info contact Jim Farley at [email protected] Applications must be post-marked by Friday, April 5, 2013, so act 540-686-2056 . now! Camps, locations, ages, and dates are listed below, but the March 20: Birding trip to Altona Marsh west of Charles Town PVAS web site provides even more information -- exciting camp in Jefferson County. Trip will begin at 8:00 a.m. Likely species will descriptions and links to camp web pages with great photos and include waterfowl, winter visitors and year-round birds. Because application details. this is a protected site and there are access issues, participants must • Audubon Discovery Day Camp: our own local camp at pre-register and sign a waiver. To do this, contact Jim Farley at the Yankauer Nature Preserve and Peter Burr Farm Site; pre-school email address or phone number shown above. to grade 12; a variety of week-long sessions May 28 to July 19, 2013. Children of any age will be welcome on the first two trips. For the Altona Marsh trip, children 12 and older may participate as long as • Oglebay Institute Junior Nature Camp: at Dallas Pike (near they are accompanied by an adult. For each trip, participants should Wheeling), WV; ages 10-15; July 21 - 27 and/or July 28 - August wear sturdy footwear, dress appropriately for prevailing weather 3, 2013. conditions, and bring along water. Binoculars will be available for anyone who needs them. The trips may be cancelled because of • Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies: at Capon Bridge, WV; bad weather. ages 11-15; June 23 - July 6; July 9 - 23; or July 30 - August 12, 2013.

Summer Camp • Mountain Adventures Camp: at Mountain Institute, Spruce Knob, WV; ages 12-17; June 16 - 22, June 23 - 29, June 30 – July Registration 6, 2013. Begins! • West Virginia State Conservation Camp: at Camp Caesar, Webster County, WV; Campers must be age 14 by January 2013 and not past age 18 on June 1; June 10 - 15, 2013. Registration for our Audubon Discovery Camp has opened! Camp Survivor, Bugs-A-Billion, and Do You Like Spiders and • Student Climate & Conservation Congress (SC3): at the Snakes? are being offered at Yankauer Preserve in June. Sessions at National Conservation and Training Center (NCTC), Shepherd- the Peter Burr Farm, including Ol’ Time Arts, are offered in July. stown, WV; Rising grades 9-12 (ages 14-18); June 23 - 29, 2013. Most sessions are geared for children ages 6-13, but older campers • Digital Photo Camp: at Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, have the opportunity to Rock On! (including an afternoon of caving) WV; grades 9-12 (ages 14-18); June 17 - 21, 2013 (tentative). or explore Camp, Canoe, Canal at Yankauer, on the Shenandoah River, and hiking around Harpers Ferry. Sessions are also offered • Coastal Bird Studies for Teens: at National Audubon’s camp for preschoolers. on Hog Island, Maine; ages 14-17; June 16-21, 2013 Teens, entering grades 7-12, can be a part of camp as well. Those who attend a required training can then volunteer to work as junior Please check our web site at www.potomacaudubon.org for staff during a week at camp. The Nature Digital Photo Camp for updates or additional details as they become available. The web teens returns this year at Shepherd University in June. Both of these site provides PVAS scholarship application forms and links to the sessions have limited spaces, so don’t delay reserving your spot! camps’ web sites. You may also contact scholarship coordinator Kathryn Henry at 304-876-6681, or [email protected]. Most sessions will offer before/after camp care for a reasonable fee. Before and after care will be available on a pre-arranged, weekly Scholarships are available for eligible young people throughout basis and you can arrange for that at the same time you register for the PVAS membership area – the WV Eastern Panhandle and Wash- a camp session. It’s also possible to add camp care later as family ington County, Maryland. Every year during its 31-year history, summer plans become firm. PVAS has sent youngsters to camp on scholarships. The program has been supported by our fall The fee for most traditional camp sessions is $150, but preschool bird seed sale, but individual camp options are less. A $50 deposit will secure your child’s spot donors and additional com- in a session with the balance due in May. T-shirts will be available munity sources also gener- for pre-order online and will cost $10 again this year. Sizes range ously help to fund our camp from Youth XS to Adult XL. Our shirt “mascot” this year is a frog scholarships. PVAS thanks on a kiwi green shirt. Audubon Discovery Camp has been offered our bird seed customers and since 2003. other loyal supporters!

7 Valley ViewS Volume 31, Issue 6

Several school programs in January and February featured a service-learning component designed especially for the students by Ellen Murphy. Third graders at St. Joseph’s Parish School learned that teaching is sometimes harder than it looks as they helped 4-year old preschoolers at the school make a simple bird feeder. Second graders at the school made suet feeders as part of their year-long program focused on plants and animals and as preparation for the classes taking part in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Watershed programs for fourth grade continue in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties and have begun in Morgan County, thanks to a 2012 Egg Hunt generous grant from the Friends of Cacapon River. Reports from the teachers and parents continue to let us know how much they PVAS will hold its fifth annual Spring Children’s Egg Hunt the value this PVAS program because it combines hands-on learning afternoon of Sunday, March 24 at the Yankauer Nature Preserve. that is tied tightly to the WV learning standards and includes a real- Unlike traditional egg hunts, this one combines fun with an edu- world component with the field trip to a tributary of the Potomac “Owen told me how much he cational experience. The eggs we use are colored to resemble real River. In an email, a parent reported LOVED watershed today. He was telling me all about density. He eggs of wild birds. Children are challenged to find the naturally can’t wait for the next one!” camouflaged eggs on the trail and, in the process, they discover how birds keep their eggs safe from predators. Other activities this PVAS staff visited Back Creek Valley Elementary School for the year will include a “penguin egg walk” and an “ostrich egg balance first time ever in January and were able to present programs to all challenge,” as well as an egg-toss game. the Kindergarten, First, and Second grade classrooms. The dreary, This year’s event will be for children ages 3-6. Eggs for them to cold weather that day didn’t prevent the students from getting outside collect will be hidden along trails at the preserve. At the end of the to explore their schoolyard for signs of nature. Even the principal event, collected eggs will be “traded in” for a sweet treat. joined in the “insect games!” This will be a family-oriented event and parents should plan to If your class (or you’d like your child’s class) to take part in accompany their children as they walk on the trails. The hunt will one of our grade-specific programs at Yankauer Preserve or in Ellen@Poto- be held from 2:00-3:30 p.m. the classroom, contact Ellen at 304-676-8739 or macAudubon.org. Space will be limited and pre-registration is required. The fee is $5 per child. Registration is available at the PVAS website. For more information, contact Ellen Murphy, PVAS’s Director Outdoor Explore! of Youth Programs, at 304-676-8739 or ellen@potomacaudubon. Events Continue org. This Spring

Several more Outdoor Explore! events are scheduled as the weather turns warmer. On Saturday, March 9, children can ex- Preschool Programs at Yankauer plore Eidolon Nature Preserve in Morgan County and discover the nooks and cran- Wee Naturalists, PVAS’s outdoor program for preschoolers and nies where animals can hide in “Run For a loving adult, returns on April 15 and 18 with “Spring Fling.” Cover.” The event will help youngsters The May 6th and 9th program will introduce children to “Animal learn about forest habitats and the ways Families.” The morning program encourages participants to explore in which forest animals shelter and hide nature together through activities at the Yankauer pavilion, nature themselves. It will last from 10:00 a.m. walks, circle games, and other activities. to 1:00 p.m. Other programs for preschoolers include the Spring Egg Hunt The April event will focus on hiking the Maryland Heights Trail on Sunday afternoon, March 24; Out of the Nest preschool camp, near Harpers Ferry. Events will also take place in May and June. May 28-31; and Just For Fledglings camp for children entering Kindergarten in the fall, June 3-7. Registration for all these programs The Outdoor Explore program is intended to give youngsters a is available now on the PVAS website. better understanding and appreciation of the natural world in a safe, supervised way. Its activities include hiking, exploration of different

8 Valley ViewS Volume 31, Issue 6 JOIN PVAS TODAY! local habitats, plant and animal identification, and other natural science activities around the Eastern Panhandle. Each month’s theme ALL of your dues will stay here to support local PVAS efforts and is appropriate to the time of year and habitat of the specific location. help us grow! And here’s what you’ll get: Jan Hummer, an experienced natural science educator, is leading each program session. The program is being made possible by a ฀ Access to a wide variety of PVAS programs and events for grant from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. adults and children, including field trips, special events, workshops and courses, and environmental projects. Each even has a small fee and registration for each event can be ฀ A subscription to Valley Views, the PVAS newsletter completed on the PVAS website. For more information, contact El- ฀ E-mail alerts about events and programs of special interest len Murphy at [email protected] or 304-676-8739. ฀ Satisfaction of supporting conservation efforts, youth and adult nature education, individual and family recreation, and a wide array of programs in your community. To become a local member, send in the form below and enclose a Staying Connected check for $20 ($15 for seniors and students). Make the check out to With PVAS “PVAS.” This fee covers membership for everyone in your household for one year. Once upon a time, PVAS was a local Audu- Membership Form bon affiliate club, in the West Virginia Eastern Name: ______Panhandle. We’re still that, but our ability to reach out to folks who live in other areas has exploded in 2012! With Address: ______the introduction of our new website and presence on other social City: ______State: ____ Zip code: ______media sites, we have entered the digital age with pizzaz! Phone (optional): ______E-mail: ______It’s only been a year since we introduced the new PVAS website, which has separate pages for many of the programs and events we To save postage costs, PVAS regularly sends its newsletter by e-mail. offer. One of its best features is an easy-to-use, online registration You can be assured that we do not share email addresses with anyone. If system that allows us to post upcoming events and programs to a you would prefer to receive the newsletter by U.S. mail check here: __. larger audience and without the use of excessive paper. Clip and mail this form to: Our presence is also being established in other social media. Membership Chair, PVAS PVAS and Potomac Valley Master Naturalists have each established PO Box 578 a Facebook page, the Birding Group has established a birder’s blog, Shepherdstown, WV 25443 the Potomac Valley Nature Photographers have formed a Facebook group, and the Potomac Valley Nature Writers Group continues with Thank you for your support! its blogsite. Each of these social media groups can connect interested persons all over the United States and the world with us! If you would like to see any of the electronic sites listed above, If you’d rather join the National Audubon Society: just go to www.PotomacAudubon.org and you’ll find links to all of them. When you’ve found them, visit them often and become a Some people prefer National Audubon Society membership, contributor. Social media is just one of the many ways that PVAS which includes a subscription to the Society’s Audubon maga- is reaching out to our members and friends and it works best when zine. To become a National member, go to the Society’s website you take part too. at www.audubon.org and click on “join.” If you join National Audubon and reside in Berkeley, Jefferson or Morgan counties in West Virginia, or in Washington County Maryland, you will automatically become a member of PVAS and have access to our events, an e-mail copy of newsletter and e-mail alerts. However almost all of your dues payments will go to the National Audubon Society; only a small percentage will go to PVAS.

T RED TEXT - DOT ALERT If red text or a red dot appears on your mailing label, your membership may have expired and this could be your last issue of Valley Views. Take action to renew your Local membership. If you are a National Audubon Society member, the National Society will notify you directly when your membership is up for renewal.

9 NON-PROFIT ORG. Potomac Valley Audubon Society US Postage P O Box 578 PAID Shepherdstown, WV 25443 Permit No. 30 Return Service Requested Shepherdstown, WV

http://www.potomacaudubon.org DATED MATERIALS

A proud partner of the United Way of MAIL TO: the Eastern Panhandle and the Com- bined Federal Campaign.

March 2013 Printed on 100% post=consumber wste recyceld paper Volume 31 Issue 6

The Potomac Valley Audubon Society meets at 7:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month, September through April. Programs are free and open to the public. For additional information about PVAS or its programs and activities, please call any of the board members listed her or see http://www.potomacaudubon.org. PVAS serves the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and neighboring Washington County, Maryland.

PVAS Officers and Board Members President: Bob Reynolds (2015) ...... [email protected] PVAS BOARD Vice President: Gary Heichel (2015) ...... [email protected] The PVAS Board Secretary: Mina Goodrich (2013) ...... [email protected] Treasurer: Lex Miller (2014) ...... [email protected] meets every other Board Members-at-Large: month on the first Don Briggs (2015) ...... [email protected] Clark Dixon (2013) ...... [email protected] Thursday of the Leigh Jenkins (2013) ...... [email protected] month (Sept.-June). Heather McSharry (2014) ...... [email protected] Meeting location will Sandy Sagalkin (2015) ...... [email protected] Lou Scavnicky (2015) ...... [email protected] be announced prior Kathy Stolzenburg (2013) ...... [email protected] to meetings. These Jane Vanderhook (2013)...... [email protected] Ex Officio Board Member: Peter Smith ...... [email protected] meetings are open Emeritus Board Member: Jean Neely ...... [email protected] to all PVAS mem- Special Contacts bers. Executive Director: Kristin Alexander (304-676-3397) ...... [email protected] Program Director: Ellen Murphy (304-676-3397) ...... [email protected] Web Master: Kathy Bilton ...... [email protected] PVAS Wildlife Rescue Coord: Diana Mullis (304-267-3482) ...... [email protected]